Location & Climate
Location
At the foot of the hill Herodion, surrounded by the beautiful Judean Desert, lies the settlement of Nokdim (El-David). It falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, which includes another 12 Jewish settlements south and south-west of Jerusalem.
The community of Nokdim is always eager to welcome individual visitors and groups, as well as potential new families. Feel free to contact the office (+972.2.996454) to arrange for a guided tour. Nokdim is a 30-minute ride from Jerusalem (via the "tunnels road" and Efrat), or about 45 minutes by bus (line no. 166. There are several buses in each direction daily; confirm updated bus schedule with the office).
Climate
In the absence of a local station of the Meteorological Service, the Nokdim climate may be included within that of the more general north-western Judean desert area.
Rainfall in Nokdim
The annual rainfall in the western Judean desert averages about 350mm (as compared to 200-300mm in the central Judean
desert region and 100mm in the eastern region). This amount falls during 10-30 days of the year, mainly during the
months of December-February. Sometimes the rainfall is particularly heavy, over a very brief period.
In autumn and spring there are occasionally cloud fragments that bring showers, causing the streams to flow in the wadis. The average rainfall figures can be misleading, however, since there are sharp differences from year to year – as in neighboring regions.
There is just about zero dew in this region, with the average amount equaling about 3-10mm annually.
Despite the limited precipitation, plantations of olives and almonds abound. There is evidence that during the Byzantine period there were also vast vineyards.
The effect of the rains on the landscape is quite conspicuous: the ground is composed of layers of soft, chalky rock that are easily cleft. On the other hand, chalk rock is impermeable to water. For this reason rainwater usually flows down the hillsides, forming narrow furrows with streams that eventually join up and lead into the Dead Sea.
Temperatures in Nokdim
Temperatures generally rise the further east one progresses. The average annual temperature for the western Judean
desert is around 11 degrees Celsius, while the average annual temperature at the Dead Sea is 25 degrees. The average
July temperature at the Dead Sea is 32 degrees, as compared to 23 degrees in Jerusalem. In other words, the summer
temperature in the Judean desert ranges from 32 in the east to 23 degrees in the west.
January temperatures range from 7 degrees in Jerusalem to 15 degrees at the Dead Sea. The northern region of the Judean desert (around Nokdim) is somewhere in between.
